Water is central to life in Texas, yet many Texans do not know where their water comes from or what is needed to secure future supplies. Learn about This Is Texas Water, the state's new water awareness campaign developed by the Texas Water Development Board, and explore the strategies, partnerships, and opportunities to inspire Texans to engage in shaping a secure water future for their own communities.
The most important things in life are often the easiest to take for granted, but valuing the people and opportunities that shape our lives begins with recognizing their impact in the moment. Drawing from lessons learned in athletics, leadership, and life, Cedric James explores how character and influence shape both our own journey and the lives of others. Through compelling stories and insights, attendees will leave inspired to lead with purpose and create a ripple effect that reaches the individuals, organizations, and communities they serve.
As Texas works to secure future water supplies, financing remains a critical tool for turning plans into projects. This panel will highlight updates on the Texas Water Fund and emerging funding strategies supporting water infrastructure and new water development across the state.
For 70 years, the Texas Water Development Board has helped shape Texas' water future. This panel will highlight key milestones, current challenges, and emerging opportunities that will guide water planning and investment for decades to come.
As Texas continues to address growing water challenges, this panel will explore the key priorities for the 90th Texas Legislative Session, including the policies, partnerships, and funding strategies needed to shape the future of water supply development, infrastructure, conservation, and flood resilience.
Meeting growing water infrastructure demands often requires faster project delivery. This panel examines how design-build and progressive design-build approaches can streamline schedules, manage risk, and enhance project outcomes compared to traditional delivery methods, while remaining compliant with Texas law.
Fast-growing communities face unique infrastructure challenges as systems designed for smaller populations rapidly expand. This panel will discuss planning, funding, and capacity-building strategies, as well as approaches to managing growth, expanding utility services, and maintaining reliable water and wastewater infrastructure.
Financial audits offer a critical measure of a utility's financial health and funding readiness. This session will cover audit best practices, common pitfalls, and how audit results can affect access to TWDB financing, bonds, and other funding opportunities.
The Rio Grande Valley faces some of Texas' most pressing water challenges. This panel will explore near-term strategies to improve water security, including water reuse, groundwater development, emergency planning, and regional collaboration.
This session explores next-generation water reuse projects, commissioning lessons, and strategies for building public confidence. Panelists will discuss effective risk communication and best practices for successfully implementing reuse projects as part of a diversified water supply strategy.
Regenerative agriculture and irrigation intelligence are transforming water management in Texas agriculture. Discover the practices and technologies that improve soil health, optimize irrigation, and enhance drought resilience, as well as opportunities to support long-term agricultural productivity and water conservation.
Produced water is gaining attention as a potential water supply resource in Texas. This panel will examine ongoing pilot projects, regulatory considerations, and fit-for-purpose reuse opportunities. Panelists will discuss treatment technologies, water quality challenges, and the role produced water could play in meeting future water needs while protecting public health and the environment.
As Texas explores innovative approaches to meeting future water needs, atmospheric water harvesting is emerging as a technology of interest. Join this discussion to evaluate its potential, limitations, scalability, and practical applications, while examining how it may contribute to water resilience and long-term planning efforts across the state.
This panel will explore the evolution of pipe materials and new technologies and methodologies that improve durability, resilience, and system performance. Panelists will also discuss advances in leak detection and asset management that are helping utilities reduce water loss and make impactful infrastructure investments.
This session highlights the new Groundwater Science, Research, and Data Collection grants administered by the TWDB to groundwater conservation districts, discussing how these grants help fill data gaps across the state, their impacts on planning and decision-making, and early lessons learned.
As Texas faces growing challenges from drought, population growth, and increasing water demand, desalination is emerging as an important tool for expanding water supplies. Explore how investments in desalination can diversify Texas' water portfolio, reduce pressure on rivers and aquifers, and strengthen long-term water security for communities, agriculture, and industry. While not a standalone solution, desalination is poised to play a meaningful role in Texas' water future.
Celebrating 70 years of TWDB innovation, this panel explores the powerful intersection of maps, data, and technology, from historic planning tools to today's GIS platforms that support water management across Texas.
As monitoring requirements evolve, utilities are leveraging new tools to detect PFAS, water loss indicators, and emerging contaminants. This panel will examine how effective monitoring supports regulatory compliance, operational preparedness, and informed decision-making.
This panel showcases how GIS tools support water planning and flood analysis, highlighting practical applications that connect data to decision-making.
Nature-based solutions offer innovative approaches to water supply, flood mitigation, and watershed resilience. This panel will highlight community case studies, implementation experiences, and lessons learned, while exploring how the Texas Water Development Board's new Nature-Based Solutions Guidance Manual can help communities evaluate and advance these strategies.
Join this discussion that will explore the implementation of Senate Bill 3, highlighting its key provisions, local impacts, and implementation strategies. Panelists will discuss challenges, opportunities, and lessons learned as local governments and stakeholders work to put policy into practice.
This panel focuses on flood planning and emergency preparedness across Texas, highlighting coordination between state agencies, river authorities, and local flood control districts. Panelists will explore lessons learned from recent flood events and how emergency response integrates with long-term flood mitigation and resilience planning.
This panel examines the evolution of Texas' state water planning process, from its legislative origins to today. Panelists will discuss key successes, lessons learned, and remaining gaps, while exploring how legislative direction has shaped planning efforts and the insights that can help guide the future of water planning statewide.
Brackish groundwater is often viewed as a vast untapped opportunity for expanding Texas' water supplies, but questions remain about its true potential. Panelists will analyze and deliberate the gap between perceived supplies and actual production potential, regulatory challenges, and the economic realities of treating and disposing of Texas' hidden water.